II Samuel 21:10-11
One person wrote it this way;
"A godly mother will point her children to God by the force of their example
as much as by the power of their words." -- Croft M. Penze
The situation in the American home is acute, no doubt about that
Did you realize that only 7% of the people in the US live in a traditional family?
Traditional family meaning: Father is the bread winner -Mother is a home maker
Motherhood has taken a bad rap over the years.
It is portrayed as anti-intellectual and anti-quated
When Hillary Clinton was visibly involved in the political scene in the 1990’s she quipped;
What do you want me to do stay at home and bake cookies and have tea.
What an affront to this thing we call Motherhood
But what does Motherhood mean to you?
This morning, I really do want us to concentrate on our mothers, however, I want to offer some admonitions to our thinking and our definition of MOTHERHOOD
I’d like to do by;
First - Telling a little-known story from the Old Testament
Second, Raising a necessary question.
And Third - Issue a meaningful challenge from the New Testament.
First,
I. The Story
How many know the name Rizpah?
She’s not as well-known as Mary, Martha in the NT
Nor as well-known as Sarh, Rebecca, Miriam, Rachel, Deborah in the OT.
Rizpah, you’ll find her name in II Samuel 21
I’ll tell you her story if you want to follow, that’s fine.
STORY
The story starts with King David, not Rizpah.
King Saul was dead and David has been reigning on the throne.
There was a famine in Israel for 3 years.
David sought the Lord as to WHY.
God said to David, It’s because of the bloody hands of King Saul. He has killed the Gibeonites¨
The Gibeonites, in Joshua’s day, had entered into a covenant with Israel and King Saul broke that covenant.
When God’s people make a promise or covenant they are expected to keep it because promises are sacred to God.
And because of that covenant God promised that those people would be spared----- instead they were put to death - by King Saul
So now, King David asked the Gibeonites how the Israelites could make atonement for this drastic incident.
The Gibeonites said, "We don’t want any money, we would never take anything from the household of Saul."
Verse 4 David said, "I will do for you, whatever you say."
So they came back and asked for the 7 sons of Saul. (Actually grandsons)
These were the remaining heirs of Saul’s household.
Not all of the sons were born of the same woman;
5 sons to Merab and 2 sons of Rizpah.
Now those 7 sons were to be taken and executed
Openly, In the mountain of the Lord
Publicly, So that ALL could see what happens to
Shamefully, so all could witness a father who blatantly sinned against the Lord.
Take heed fathers you always reap what you sow.
So here they are, publicly shamed before the people.
Hanging there on a Gibbet or cross their remains exposed.
Verse 10 It’s only one little verse that’s all it is but it tells of one of the greatest stories of devotion you’re ever going to hear. Just one little verse.
Rizpah came to Gibea and brought her sack clothe and stretched it out on a rock. It doesn’t say HOW she used it
-A tent for covering
-Shelter from the dew
-A shield from the heat
But there she was, and there she was going to stay
from the beginning of the harvest until the rains came.
"She didn’t allow the vultures to come by day or the beast by night."
Here’s the picture: Verse 10 says that these men were put to death at the beginning of the Barley harvest.
And this mother did not leave their remains until the
rains came.
It’s a long time from May to September.
You see, the Barley harvest begins in May and the rains come in September or even October.
5 months; from 1 woman - out of a devotion we call Motherhood.
Nothing is going to defile the bodies of her sons,
Rizpah was certainly a devoted mother wouldn’t you say?
What would it be like to scare away the vultures? Repulsive
Imagine being all by yourself.
From one gibbet to the next - then to the next,
Trying to find some rest -You drop from exhaustion.
But still you must keep on.
Just when you think you’re going to get a moments rest you hear scratching.
And from the glow of the fire you see their beady eyes staring at you through the dark. You fight sleep knowing that you dare not drift off or else they’ll come again.
Finally, when you feel you’ve scared them off the rays of the sun shine forth and soon the wings will appear in the sky and the grueling task begins again.
This went on for 5 months...
Until finally King David heard about it
He heard about her devotion and had them taken down and buried between the Kings at Kish.
All because of the devotion of a Mother; Rizpah
That’s the story
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Here’s the question I want to raise:
Is that what we’re talking about when we say Motherhood?
Is that kind of devotion what we’re exalting today?
I think it is.
Would you allow me to go a step further and ask:
Is that the only kind of devotion we’re exalting today?
Is there a real danger that we are exalting someone because they have served us?
They have gotten up in the wee small hours.
They’ve guarded us in our fevered nights.
They’ve cared and clothed us and have watched after us in so many ways.
Is that what we mean when we say Motherhood?
I believe there’s a real danger that, that may be all we mean.
May I point out that - that could be nothing more than Maternity, Not Motherhood - but Maternity.
I don’t want to make light of this kind of devotion, actually I’m awed by it.
I’m intimidated by it.
Overwhelmed at the thought of my inability to function like that.
But is it possible that this is all we’re going to allow this word, Motherhood to mean today?
If so, then, be aware that even in the animal world there’s the same kind of devotion.
There’s this same kind of - almost instinctive - care for their young.
They provide the same kind of protection and it doesn’t even have to be their young.
As with Rizpah, only 2 sons were hers.
Yet she protected them all.
You just try touching a bear cub when MOTHER is in the vicinity.
It’s instinctive, you see.
The question is: Is that what we mean when we say Motherhood?
What happens about 5-6 in the morning?
What do you hear?
Tweet, tweet - singing sweetly to God
But there are those who have studied bird and say that they are not singing sweet heavenly tones.
But that those pugnacious little creatures are saying:
It’s mine, It’s mine, It’s mine
They are staking out their territory before anyone gets up.
One says, I’m coming over
I’m coming over
I’m coming over
And another says, Better not...Better not...Better not
They are ready to fight each other for their territory
so that they can feed their young.
Instinctive Devotion.
But you just let a cat roam into the yard and they’ll stop fighting with each other and unite to fight the cat.
Is that what we call Motherhood?
That’s the question What is real Motherhood?
The story is about DEVOTION - A Mother’s Devotion
But the question is;
Are we honoring today a devotion that in some ways could be emulated and even matched, maybe surpassed in the animal world?
Have we degraded motherhood so much in our society that we are honoring the same instinctive devotion that is found on the animal level alone?
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Here’s the Challenge!
That Motherhood is:
More than that of the animal world.
More than just instinctive physical protection.
More than just watching after good health.
More than just Maternity.
The challenge to you as Christian Mothers is to be all that God intended you to be.
II Timothy 1:1-5 It’s on our bulletin cover
To Timothy, my dear son;
Grace mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God, whom I serve as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.
Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy.
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
When Paul wrote to this young man and said, Here is a sincere faith...
A kind of faith that’s not pretentious.
A faith that’s real.
Not just a Sunday school faith but an everyday action faith.
This Faith had been passed on to this young man, Timothy.
I’d like to challenge you that there are some things a child needs to be taught...
And some things that need to be caught.
The apostle Paul is talking, writing to Timothy but he realizes that this whole process began long before Timothy is able to read a letter.
It started years and years ago in his home with a mother and a grandmother.
Chapter 3:14 Paul says to Timothy,
continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them.
That from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
What you’ve learned Timothy and from whom you’ve learned it.
From his mother and grandmother - passed down in the family.
They were directly responsible for the Salvation of Timothy - BUT -Many others also...
Particularly the Ephesian brothers and sisters.
That’s where Timothy ministered. That’s where he put his faith into practice.
SALVATION? - MOTHERHOOD?
There are things you must be teaching your children,
directing them not only by your words...there’s power in your words,
But by Example - Words have no power without actions.
The old saying is Talk is cheap
I challenge you to go a step beyond Rizpah’s devotion:
Don’t just stand by them in times of trouble - But teach them show them - in good times.
The teaching you do is only credible by the way you LIVE it.
Because with children, it must be caught not just taught.
Actions speak louder than words.
Listen to what Paul said to Timothy;
You got your faith because it Lived...in your mother & grandmother.
And I know it’s alive in you too.
Mothers the poem that’s in the bulletin is true
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
Your faith, lived out becomes the faith that conquers the world.
Your faith, lived out becomes the Salvation of your son, your daughter.
Your faith passed on to the next generation becomes hope for future generations.
I’m so grateful for Lois and Eunice in Timothy’s life.
I know Paul was glad for them.
I know the Ephesians were glad for them
I’m so grateful for the faith of my MOM.
And for the faith of my wife as a mother to our children.
Mothers ---- Today, Rise to the challenge - Point them to Jesus
Someone has said, "A godly mother will point her children to God by the force of her example as much as by the power of her words."
We have some devoted mothers here this morning and I’m thankful for you.
However, some here this morning may need to rise to the challenge and accept Jesus in faith first and then you can bring your children to Him.
